Hello, Baltimore
Moody Belle all smiles over 5-year, $65 million deal with Orioles
Posted: Tuesday December 01, 1998 09:00 PM
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Nest egg: Belle will become the highest-paid player in Orioles history AP |
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Albert Belle
dutifully donned his Orioles hat and flashed a broad smile as he posed for
pictures Tuesday behind a Baltimore jersey with his name and No. 88 on the
back.
The controversial star then talked excitedly about playing with a
contender, giving more of himself to the fans and making an effort to be
more accessible to reporters.
There's no telling how the union of Belle and Baltimore will play out,
but both sides were certainly intent upon creating a positive impression
during Day One of his planned five-year stay.
Belle was downright cordial at Camden Yards after signing a $65 million
contract that made him the highest-paid player in franchise history, and
said his jaded regard for the press is over.
"I make a promise today that I am going to improve my relationship with
the media," he said. "It's kind of hard to talk about baseball when you are
in last place and you're getting your brains beat out every night."
Belle had until Wednesday to return to the Chicago White Sox
and complete a $55 million, five-year deal that guaranteed him $35 million
in the next three seasons. He repeatedly attempted to convince the White
Sox to give him a raise, then insisted that money was not the reason he
ultimately joined the Orioles.
"You look at the situation the last two years, October rolls around and
you're out there working on your golf game. That just didn't sit well with
me," Belle said. "It was a situation where I weighed all my options and I
felt Baltimore was my best option."
After the White Sox refused to increase Belle's salary, he was delighted
to take more money from what he perceived to be a better team.
"Back in Chicago, they were rebuilding the past two years. With an
experienced, veteran team, you don't have to worry about rebuilding," he
said.
Belle, 32, is arguably the most talented right-handed hitter in
baseball. But he also known to be one of the most controversial players in
the game -- he has been suspended six times and has snapped at both the
media and the fans.
Yet the Orioles were willing to take a chance on Belle after losing free
agents Roberto
Alomar, Eric
Davis and Alan
Mills and watching the World Series champion New York Yankees
re-sign Bernie
Williams, David Cone and Scott Brosius.
Baltimore is seeking to re-sign free agent first baseman Rafael
Palmeiro, which would provide the Orioles the potent 1-2 punch that
Chicago had with Belle and Frank Thomas.
"We continue to talk," Baltimore general manager Frank Wren said of
negotiations with Palmeiro. "Obviously, if we could have those two guys
hitting back to back, we would be a very formidable in the middle of the
lineup. That's our goal."
Regardless of how the Palmeiro negotiations pan out, the addition of
Belle was essential if Baltimore is to be a factor in the competitive AL
East. Belle had 49 homers and 152 RBIs last year, and he should be even
more lethal playing in Camden Yards, where the left-field line is only 333
feet from the plate and the left-center alley is a mere 364 feet away.
With that in mind, Wren chose to look at Belle's numbers rather than his
checkered past.
"There are some misconceptions and some misunderstanding out there,"
Wren said. "From a baseball decision, this is a no-brainer. The guy is
obviously one of the most prolific players in the game. The other stuff I
don't have a problem with. He has made some mistakes, admitted them, and he
is going forward."
One thing that virtually everyone in baseball can agree upon: Belle's
work ethic is absolutely uncompromising.
"To add someone of his quality to the middle of our lineup is great.
Albert is one of the game's most intense competitors and he comes to play
ever day," said Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken, who
knows a thing or two about playing every day.
After Ripken ended his run of consecutive games last September at 2,632,
Belle's string of 334 consecutive games became the longest active streak in
the majors.
Because Ripken wears Belle's customary No. 8, Belle knew it was time to
make a change. So he doubled up his usual number.
"There's an old saying back in Louisiana that two 8s are better than
one," he quipped, smiling broadly.
The Orioles also announced Tuesday they have removed three players from
their 40-man roster. Infielder P.J. Forbes, who spent most of the year at
Triple-A Rochester, was given his unconditional release. Outfielder Wady
Almonte was outrighted off the roster and catcher Charlie Greene was
claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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